Russian troops are “actively” conducting reconnaissance on the battlefield to prepare new offensive actions in several directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on February 1. The army did not specify the districts, Kyiv Independent reports.

Russian military in occupied Donetsk regionPhoto: Oleksiy Alexandrov / AP / Profimedia

Despite significant losses, the Russians continue to attack near Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka and Novopavlivka in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the report said.

The head of the Council of Reservists of the Land Forces of Ukraine, Ivan Tymoshko, previously stated that Russia is building up its forces in Donbas in eastern Ukraine as part of a pre-emptive offensive aimed at achieving victory in Ukraine under internal pressure from Russia. after a series of serious setbacks on the battlefield.

On January 30, the Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian military bloggers shared a statement on the Russian Telegram channel saying that “the current pace and nature of Russian operations indicate that the main forces of the expected offensive and the promised advance have not yet succeeded.” entered into battle.”

Russia is concentrating its “main efforts” in the east of Donbas, where it is still waging “the fiercest battles,” said Yevhen Yerin, spokesman for the Southern Operational Command of Ukrainian forces, on January 30.

Western, Ukrainian and Russian sources continue to indicate that Russia is preparing for an imminent offensive, ISW said in its latest update on January 31.

The update cites NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying on January 30 that there are no signs that Russia is preparing for peace talks, and that all indicators point to the contrary.

Stoltenberg also said that Russia “can mobilize more than 200,000 people and continues to acquire weapons and ammunition through increased domestic production and through partnerships with authoritarian states such as Iran and North Korea.”

At the same time, Russia has deployed additional troops and military equipment in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, the governor of the Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, said on January 30.

On the same topic:

  • Russia is trying to compensate for losses in Ukraine ahead of a possible spring offensive, Western officials say
  • How the Kremlin comments on rumors about a new wave of “partial” mobilization

___

  • Follow the latest events of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HotNews.ro